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S mashing glass was the only warning he had.

He would later learn that someone had managed to cut the power. And they’d also removed the backup battery for the alarm.

He grabbed his girl and rolled out of bed, yelling at Jenner who’d been asleep on the other side of her.

Immy screamed.

Motherfucker.

There was a bang and suddenly, his vision was compromised.

Fuck! A flash bang.

Tobias managed to hold onto Immy, guiding her blindly out of the bedroom as smoke filled it, making them all cough. This wasn’t good.

“Get down!” he yelled at Immy. “Get down and out!”

He wasn’t sure that wasn’t playing into this bastard’s plans, though. And he didn’t want her on her own.

“I’m here,” Jenner said, from behind them. “What the fuck is going on? What was that?”

“Smashed the window. Some sort of smoke bomb. And a flash bang. Take her! Get her out!”

He pushed Immy to Jenner. He wrapped his arm around her and they headed away.

Tobias needed to get his gun, which was in the bedroom. He should have grabbed it as he was leaving, but all he’d been thinking about was getting Immy to safety.

He’d been too complacent. And now his girl was at risk. Nothing could happen to her. He would make sure of that.

Tobias headed back into the bedroom, but it was too dark and smoky for him to see the threat.

All he felt was a sharp pain on his head and then nothing.

Jenner managed to get Immy outside. But he was torn over what to do. Where should he take her? And what about Tobias? Why wasn’t he right behind them?

“Tobias! We have to get back to Tobias!” she cried, trying to turn around and go back inside.

Fuck.

What did he do?

Get her safe.

Jenner wrapped his hand around her wrist and ran with her toward the trees.

“No!” she cried. “Tobias!”

Hide her somewhere.

Go back.

Get the keys and Tobias.

Get the fuck out of here.

“Climb the tree, baby. Like we used to do.” Back in the camp, they’d had a treehouse they used to hide in. “Stay right here. I’m coming back for you.”

“Jenner,” she whimpered, holding onto him tight.

He took her face in his hands. “I know it’s scary out here. It’s dark and you’re on your own. I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t have to. But I need to go find Tobias.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” she said.

“I will be back. I promise.” He kissed her gently. “Be brave. Stay quiet. Just wait for me. All right?”

“All right,” she said. “I love you. Be safe.”

“I love you too, baby.”

He waited until she was safely up the tree, then he raced back to the house. He moved quietly into the house, finding the keys to the truck in the kitchen. There was no way they were getting away without a vehicle.

The house was quiet and a chill ran through him.

Where was Tobias? He didn’t want to call out and risk alerting their attacker to his location.

It was fucking cold outside and he could already feel it, so he knew Immy felt it.

He’d grab their coats on his way out. Once he got to Tobias. He tiptoed through the house, heading to their bedroom. It was still a bit smoky, but not as bad.

He found the Tobias in the bedroom, lying on his front.

Fuck!

He searched him, unable to see what was wrong, and found blood on the back of his head.

Shit! Fuck!

Then he glanced up and around. Where was the attacker?

Fuck! Immy!

Jumping to his feet, he saw Tobias’s phone sitting on the bedside and picked it up. Then he remembered Tobias’s gun.

Jenner grabbed it out of the bedside table, swallowing heavily.

He called Sampson as he raced through the house, pulling shoes on quickly at the door as well as grabbing a coat for Immy. Then he headed back to where he’d left her.

But as he left the house, he heard her scream.

Then, terrifyingly, nothing.

“Immy!”

Immy was so scared.

It was so dark. There were barely any stars out. She couldn’t hear anything. She didn’t know where Jenner or Tobias were.

What was going on?

There was a rustling noise and she opened her eyes, staring down at the ground.

She didn’t know how, but she just knew he was there. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to hide her whimper.

“You got two choices,” the voice said. “Come down by yourself or I shoot you and you fall out of the tree.”

The voice sounded strange. Garbled. She definitely didn’t recognize it.

A whimper escaped her, and she didn’t know what to do.

Die now or later?

At least if you get down now you’ve got a chance.

So she started down the tree. When she reached the bottom, she stared at him. Who was he? But he was completely covered in black so she couldn’t find anything to help her figure out who he was.

“Good choice,” he said, grabbing her arm.

She couldn’t hold back her scream and some sort of instinct kicked in, a memory of something that Sampson had taught her. She lashed out with her fist, catching him in the face. Then she followed it up with a foot to his balls. And suddenly, the asshole was on the ground, gasping for breath.

She stood there for a moment.

Run, Immy!

So she took off. She ran blindly, unsure of where to go or what to do. Sticks and rocks dug into her bare feet, her lungs heaved for breath. She was making far too much noise but she didn’t want to slow down. And then her ankle rolled under her and she crashed to the ground.

She lay there, sobbing for breath. She tried to get back onto her feet, but her ankle was having none of it.

No.

Get moving!

And then she saw him step out of the trees. She whimpered and cringed back, reaching for something to defend herself. She grabbed a rock, throwing it, then another one. A stick. Some leaves.

Good one, Immy.

“Immy! Immy, stop throwing shit at me.”

The guy removed his black balaclava. And she gaped up at him in shock.

“Isaiah?”

Isaiah was the man in black? But that made no sense. Why would he shoot Lauren? Sure, she was annoying and she’d kidnapped Immy . . . but couldn’t he just have incapacitated Lauren? And why would he threaten to shoot Immy? Why break a window and fill their bedroom with smoke?

“Why did you threaten to shoot me?” she cried.

He paused. “Immy, I didn’t do that.”

“Sure you did. Just now. And you shot Lauren. And where are the guys? What did you do to them?”

“Immy, that wasn’t me. That was the Deity.”

“But he’s dead.”

“The new Deity, Immy. I’m so close to getting him. I’m sorry I didn’t get here earlier to help you. I need to know where he went.”

“I don’t know. He threatened to shoot me and then I think I punched him in the face and kicked him in the nuts. I’m not real sure. I might have blacked out. Where are Tobias and Jenner?” Fear flooded her.

“I don’t know, Imms. I’ve got to go and find this guy.”

“No, no, you have to stay with me.”

“Immy!” Jenner screamed.

“Jenner is coming and I might lose him if I don’t go now,” Isaiah explained.

“Isaiah, you should stay. We can figure this out together.”

“I can’t, Immy. This is something I have to do.”

“Isaiah!” she yelled, but he was gone.

“Immy!” Jenner screamed.

“I’m over here!” she yelled back, hoping like hell that the Deity didn’t hear her.

Whoever the fuck he was. She was so scared. She didn’t know if she was shaking due to fear or cold or shock.

And then Jenner crashed through the trees and she just lost whatever strength she had left.

He was all right. She was okay.

Now, they just had to find Tobias.